Positively Chicago: Market Bag Design Contest

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Sometimes schools develop reputations for excelling in certain activities.

That's the case for Mather High School on the Far North Side.

The budding young artists at Mather are Positively Chicago.

Pencils sharpened, these students are filling blank pages with a cornucopia of colors.

Minaz Khatoon is a junior.

Along with everyone else in art class, she's working on a drawing for the 2018 Chicago City Markets Reusable Bag design contest.

"Basically what I'm trying to draw is a little girl and she's blowing bubbles and in the bubbles there's fruit," says Khatoon.

But this contest is no child's play.

Thousands of dollars in college scholarship money are up for grabs.

And Mather has cashed in the last 10 years in a row.

"We have wonderful students that come in and work hard for us," says Mather art teacher Kara Smith.

The school displays some of the past winners' designs as a sort of art hall of fame.

"It just means so much to see their families celebrate with them," says Smith.

Mather swept all three top spots last year.

Iveth Crisoforo was a runner up, collecting $500 for college.

"That's enough for me to pay for some books," says Crisoforo as she shows her sketches. "I'm not done right now. I still have a lot to add."

She hopes her design for this year is money in the bag.

Beyond that, she thinks art could be a career.

"To be an animator, I would love to work with Disney," says Crisoforo.

While Mather seems to dominate, the contest is open to Illinois residents aged 14 and over.

The deadline is April 6.

Click here for more information on the contest.

CBS 2 is a proud sponsor of Chicago City Markets.